


Shatter

by GrayToneSkies



Category: Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight
Genre: Empty Fandom, Etrian Odyssey, F/M, Fafnir Knight Headcanon, Heartbreak, Hiding Emotions, M/M, Mentions of the Midgard Library, Oneshot, Responsibilities, Short One Shot, childhood crushes, self-sabotage, the inn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-14 10:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5740606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrayToneSkies/pseuds/GrayToneSkies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flavio always kept it inside so that he wouldn't be rejected. He was responsible, patient, and good- just what anyone who guided another had to be. It didn't keep it from feeling like being shot when he saw it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shatter

Flavio felt the wind get knocked out of him by an invisible force, air ripped from his lungs in one fell swoop. He struggled in silence to feel his chest expand, trying to ignore the prickling in it as his eyes lingered on what he saw. Leon had Arianna dipped and had his lips pressed against hers, like his mouth was giving her a caress. It was gentle, and even his cold, glaring armor on his manipulated arm seemed to become less fearsome. A soft hum eventually passed Arianna's lips, and she pulled away. It was then that Flavio's breath finally found him again, and he could feel his hands shaking, so he placed one against the doorway and the other on his hip to keep them steady.

"I was going to ask you to help me learn to sew some more, Arianna," He commented, a small smile plastered onto his lips, "but I think you're busy."

Arianna and Leon jerked their heads toward the survivalist, both surprised, and the violet haired girl squeaked, "Oh! Sir Flavio, I'm sorry!"

"For what? I'm happy for both of you." _No, I'm not happy for you. Looking at you hurts, it hurts worse than anything I've ever experienced before._

Arianna flushed slightly, then said, "It's just that... I told you I'd be there to teach you... And instead, I'm here, behaving inappropriately with Sir Leon..."

"Honestly," Flavio forced the smile on his face to grow wider, and clenched his hand on the doorway, "I was wondering when Leon would get it through his thick skull that you liked him."

Leon gave a playful glare, a smirk on his face as he carefully put Arianna on her feet, "At least I can get a girlfriend."

"I'm not interested in a relationship right now, I told you that a million times!"

_I was too busy being captivated by you!_

"Yeah, sure," Leon teased him, "You just know you'll strike out no matter what you do."

Flavio's stomach churned, bile in the back of his throat as he remembered how much he loved just being near the Fafnir Knight when they were together at the Orphanage. He had finally found someone to trust and believe in him, and Flavio had done everything for the sake of his approval. He couldn't have Leon, and he knew it, even back then. His hand fell away from the doorway as he crossed his arms, trying not to let the emotions consume him as his thoughts mumbled in his ears, heartbroken.

_It doesn't mean this will ever stop aching..._

He had chosen to guide Leon, to teach him and protect him. It never helped the crush wither away, and it soon grew until he was smothered by it and was suffocating under the raw emotions. He liked to pretend that one day, far in the future, the Fafnir Knight would realize he loved Flavio.

It would only ever be pretend.

"You know, I think we should tell Chloe and Bertrand about this." Leon suggested, nuzzling into Arianna's hair and unknowingly making his best friend's heart crumple.

Arianna agreed, "Yes, we should, sweetheart."

_Of course she called him that. Leon's the sweetest guy around, and she loves him almost as much as I do..._

"Well," Flavio decided the only way to save face now was excuse himself, "It's getting late, so I'm going to go rest up."

The burn behind his eyes was too intense. He was about to burst into tears, he could just tell. The survivalist could feel himself choking up, and the only thing he could do at this point was pull out of the room. Flavio moved down the hallway as silent as the dead, trying to let his face relax from the concrete smile. After he got in his room, his breathing started to seize up. His exhales were shuddering, and something wet and warm started going down his face, vision blurred. Choked sobs were asphyxiated as he buried his face in the pillow and pulled blankets over his face. The smile he masqueraded in front of the newfound lovers broke.

"Why," He whispered into the down filled pillow, "Why was I smiling? Why didn't I say anything?"

Flavio didn't need to reply to that question. The answer was obvious.

_I love him enough to want him to be happy. If that means he loves Arianna instead... I'll put that smile on every day for the rest of my life. I'll fake it for eternity if it'll make him happy because..._

_...I love him enough to shatter for him._

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, look, I'm writing a fanfiction that will probably be just for me and me alone. Nobody else is going to read this, I'm pretty sure. If someone actually ends up reading this other than me, I'll be shocked. If you're reading this right now... I thank you very much for putting up with me and my writing, since it's just what I like to write and not what everyone else wants.


End file.
